Electric clock



Jan. 31, 1933. w. H. GREENLEAF 1,895,923

ELECTRIC CLOCK Filed June 7, 1928 Patented Jan. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES WILLIAM H. GREENLEAF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN CLOCK COM- PANY, OF PERU, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS ELECTRIC CLOCK Application filed June 7, 1928. Serial No. 283,693.

My invention relates to that class of clocks in which electricity is employed as a driving power, and an object of my invention, among others, is to provide means for applying an auxiliary power for temporarily running the clock whenever the main supply of power shall be cut off.

One form of a clock embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a face view of aport on of a clock mechanism embodying my invention with parts broken away to show construction.

Figure 2 is an edge view of the same.

Figure 3 is a view in cross section on a plane just underneath the outer supporting plate of the power unit, with parts broken away to show construction.

Figure 1 is a View, scale enlarged, of the spring barrel and spring therein.

Figure 5 is a view in cross section on a plane denoted by the dotted line 5-5 of Figure 1, the scale being enlarged.

While my invention is not limited in its application to a clock intended for any particular use, yet as extremely satisfactory results have been attained by me with the invention embodied in the smaller type of clock, and particularly those constructed for use in automobiles and similar places, I have selected such for the purpose of disclosing my invention herein, such clock comprising a power unit and a time train unit, the latter being attached to the front plate of the former and as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing.

The power unit comprises a frame including front and back plates 6 and 7, respectively, connected in any suitable manner as by means of posts 8 and between which plates the power mechanism is secured. This mechanism comprises a magnet 9 electrically wound and of common construction and which may be supplied with electric current from any suitable source of power, as from a battery 10, and as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing. A ratchet shaft 11 is rotatably mounted in the front plate 6 and has a ratchet wheel 12 secured thereto, preferably on the inner side of said plate, and a pinion 13 secured thereto on the opposite and outer side of said plate.

The pinion 13 is intermittently rotated by means of a pawl 14 secured to and projecting from an armature 15 operating in connection with the magnet 9 in a manner that will be well understood. Said armature is pivotally supported between the plates 6 and 7 as by means of pivots 16 extending from overturned ears on the armature into openings in said plates. The pawl 14 is preferably a spring arm secured to and projecting from the armature and tensioned to force the pawl normally into engagement with the ratchet wheel. A holding pawl 17 of the same general character as the pawl 14 as to spring qualities is secured to and projects from the plate 6 into contact with the teeth of the ratchet wheel to prevent backward movement of said wheel. A spring 18, which, in fact, is the main driving element, is secured at one end to the armature 15 and projects to press against one of the posts 8, and as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing.

A contact 19 projecting from a contact plate 20 secured against the ends of the magnet is connected with said magnet as by means of a wire 21 and as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing, said wire and contact being insulated from the frame of the structure. A contactor 22 is supported in cooperative relation with respect to the contact 19, this contactor being in the form of a spring supported at its 0pposite ends and having a contact 23. The contacter is longer than the distance between its supports so that said contactor assumes a bowed form in both of its positions of rest. It is quite resilient which enables its center to be forced to opposite sides of a straight line extending between said supports. These supports 24-25 are secured directly to and project from the armature 15 and the contacter projects across the contact 19.

Said supports may be of a resilient character and a post 26 secured to and projecting from the plate 7 forms a stop to limit outward movement of the contactor. The mechanism thus far described forms the subject matter of a copending application filed by me April 2, 1928, of Serial Number 266,527, and a further and more detailed description is therefore omitted herein, this mechanism being shown simply as one of the many different forms of electrical mechanism for operating a clock that may be employed in connection with my improved device illustrated and described herein.

However, it is briefly said that the magnets 9 being deenergized, the spring 18 acts to draw the armature 15 away from the magnets and the pawl 14 being engaged with the ratchet wheel 12 that is connected through intermeshing pinions and gears with the time train, the latter is operated in a manner that will be readily understood, this, of course, being under the control of a suitable escapement mechanism. The armature continues its outward movement until the contacts 19 and 23 approach and touch each other to form a conductor for the electrical current, thus closing the electric circuit. This energizes the magnets, drawing the armature 15 into contact with the magnets and moving the pawl 14 to engage a succeeding tooth on the ratchet wheel 12 when the operation is repeated, this effecting the continuous running of the clock.

It frequently happens, however, that the electric current may be temporarily broken for one reason or another and it is to provide for this emergency that I have invented my present device and by the use of which power is stored sufficient to run the clock for a considerable period without depending upon the electrical mechanism.

This, my improved devlce, comprises a time train which may, as to its general arrangement, be of any well known form and wh ich may include a gear 27 secured to a wmdmg arbor 28 rotatably supported in front and back plates 2930, respectively, of the time train unit, said plates being connected and supported by posts 31 secured to and projecting from the plates and arranged in any suitable manner, one post only being shown herein. The gear 27 is located back of or under the plate 30 and a spring barrel 32 is loosely mounted on the arbor 28 between the plates 29 and 30, and as shown in Figures 2 and 5 of the drawing. This barrel contains a spiral spring 33 secured at its inner end to the arbor 28 and at its outer end to the wall of the barrel, and as shown in Figures 4 and 5, this being the connecting means between the barrel and arbor. The barrel also has a gear 34 secured to it, said gear meshing with a pinion 35 secured to an arbor 36 adapted to bear the hands (not shown herein) of the time piece. The gear 37 is also secured to said arbor. this gear being in mesh with a pinion of the escapement mechanism hereinbefore referred to but omitted from the showing herein.

As hereinbefore remarked the barrel 32 is loosely mounted on the arbor 28, and this is for the purpose of enabling the spring to be tensioned within the barrel by rotation of the arbor. \Vhen, however, the spring is tensioned to the extent required the barrel and arbor are rotated together and this, in the mechanism herein shown, is effected by means of a plate 38 closing the open side of the barrel, and as shown in Figure 5, said plate having a stud 39 projecting therefrom for engagement by a barrel rotating arm 40, the barrel preferably projects into or through the plate 29 that serves as a bearing therefor, and as shown in Figure 5.

In the operation of this, my present improvement, constituting a part of the clock mechanism, if the arm 40 be located in any position other than that shown in Figure 1 and the clock be started, as by making the electrical connections, the armature will be drawn to the magnets, as hereinbefore described. The contacts 19 and 23 being engaged, as the armature moves toward the magnets the outer and bearing ends of the contactor 22 will be carried past and to the opposite side of a center line between said bearing ends with a result that said contactor will be snapped and bowed outwardly, thus separating the contacts and breaking the electric circuit. The force of the spring 18 will cause a pull of the pawl 14 on the ratchet wheel 12 thereby rotating the pinion 13, gear 27 and arbor 28, and the arm 40 being away from the stud 39 free rotation of the arbor 28 independently of the barrel 32 takes place, thereby partially tensioning the spring 33. In this outward movement of the armature 15 the bearing ends of the contactor 22 are again carried beyond a straight line between said bearings, and said contactor being held by the post 26 the contacts 19 and 23 are again snapped together, making the electric circuit and repeating the operation just described, which operation will continue until the arm 40 is rotated to a position againstthe stud 39.

In the next movement of the armature 15 against the magnets the pawl 14 will be engaged with a succeeding tooth on the ratchet 12, as before, but the stud 39 now resists free movement of the arm 40, which resistance extends through the barrel 32, gear 34, pinion 35 and gear 37 to the escapement mechanism, the latter of which restrains movement of the armature 15 but permits it to move slowly away from the magnets.

During the movement of the armature toward the magnets and the movement of the pawl 14 to engage a newtooth, driving force on the clock mechanism is momentarily lost, but this is taken care of by this improved mechanism. as the spring 33 will immediately exert its power to supply the driving force during this brief interval.

IVhen the spring 33 has been tensioned, as hereinbefore described and to the extent naegpaa the ratchet wheel 12 will afford t e neces sary support'for the spring 33 to exert its function. In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my invention, together with the device which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than set out.

I claim 1. A clock including a time train com rising supporting lates arranged in space relation, one of tiie plates having an opening therein, an arbor journaled on one of the plates, an open ended spring barrel loosely mounted on the arbor, a late closing said end of the barrel and positioned in the aforementioned opening of the supporting plate, a spring connecting the arbor and barrel, electric means located outside of said plates for tensioning the spring, and means for causing the electric means to rotate the bar rel with its closure plate and the arbor simultaneously when the spring is fully tensioned.

2. A clockincludingatimetrain comprising supporting lates arranged in spaced relation one of the p ates having an openlng therein,an

arbor journaled on one of the plates, :1 spring barrel loosely mounted on' the arbor and positioned in the aforementioned opening, a spring connected to the barrel and arbor, electric means for tensioning the spring, and means positioned outside of the barrel and outside of said plates for causing simultaneous rotation of the arbor and barrel when the spring is fully tensioned.

3. A clock including a time train comprising supporting plates arranged in spaced relation,-one of the plates having an o ning formed therein, an arbor journale at one end in the remaining plate, a spring barrel loosely mounted on the arbor between the plates and positioned with one end portion in the aforementioned openings, a spring connected to the barrel and arbor, electric means for tensioning the spring, and means positioned outside of the end portion of the barrel located in the aforementioned plate open- .in for causing simultaneous rotation of the arbor and barrel when the spring is fully tensioned.

WILLIAM H. GREENLEAF.

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